Government has met its target of delivering two million additional NHS appointments, seven months ahead of schedule.
16th February – Westminster
Luke Myer MP has welcomed the announcement from Health Secretary Wes Streeting that between July and November last year, there were almost 2.2 million more elective care appointments compared to the same period in 2023. This achievement marks an important step in Labour’s efforts to tackle the NHS backlog and reduce waiting times for vital treatment.
The government’s ‘Plan for Change’ aims to reduce NHS waiting times from 18 months to 18 weeks, a vital measure to ensure timely care for patients across the country. This success has been driven by increased investment, the introduction of evening and weekend appointments, and decisive action to end industrial action.
Locally, the South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been making significant strides, including an innovative change in physiotherapy services that reduced waiting lists by more than half. Other initiatives, such as AI-powered lung cancer diagnosis and the upcoming diagnostic centre in the Tees Valley, are further improving patient care and access to treatment.
Luke Myer MP said:
“We promised to deliver two million more NHS appointments in a year as the first step to reducing the shocking backlog. As of today, we’ve met that target seven months early. It follows the ending of strikes and a £23 billion investment in our NHS. There’s still a long way to go, but the tide is turning.
“This achievement is a beacon of hope for the millions who have been waiting in pain for essential treatment. It is a testament to the hard work of NHS staff and the decisive actions taken by the Labour government.”
Luke Myer MP is committed to supporting the recovery of the NHS and ensuring his constituents in Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland have timely access to the care they need.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said:
“We have wasted no time in getting to work to cut NHS waiting times and end the agony of millions of patients suffering uncertainty and pain.
“Because we ended the strikes, invested in the NHS, and rolled out reformed ways of working, we are finally putting the NHS on the road to recovery.
“We promised change, and we’ve delivered, providing the two million extra appointments we pledged in just our first five months – a promise made, and a promise kept. The result is around 160,000 fewer patients on waiting lists today than in July.
“That was just the first step. Through our Plan for Change, we are opening new surgical hubs, Community Diagnostics Centres at evenings and weekends, and using private sector capacity to cut waiting times from 18 months to 18 weeks.”
References:
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust updates:
Quicker diagnosis and treatment of lung cancers in Teesside – thanks to new artificial intelligence investment – South Tees NHS AI investment for lung cancer diagnosis
Physio’s effective change cuts waiting list by more than half – Physiotherapy service changes reduce waiting lists